Sarcophagus.



G. L. VAN NOSTRAND.

SARG-OPHAGUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1912.

1 090,953. Patented Mar. 24, 19M

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CHARLES L. VAN NOSIRAND, 0F BEDFORD, IOWA, ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN SARGOPHAGUS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

SARCOPHAGUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2st, 191d.

Application filed June 12, 1912. Serial No. 703,306.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. VAN Nos- TRAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bedford, in the county of Taylor and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sarcophagi, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in sarcophagi for burial purposes, and the invention has for its primary object a simple and efficient construction of inclosure of this character which will be easy to set up or assemble the parts and indestructible and sanitary.

The invention has for a further object an improved sarcophogus in which the joints are so formed that the weight of the parts and the earth also will tend to effectually maintain the joints tightly closed.

A further object of the invention is an improved sarcophagus in which the joints will be self healing or closing, that is to say, they will be so formed that the cement will be compressed in an inward direction and will overflow directly inwardly into a channel or groove as will hereinafter more fully appear and whereby all liability of opening the scams or joints will be practically precluded.

A further object of the invention is a device of this character the parts of which are so formed that the pressure upon all joints will be directed inwardly toward the center, whereby the vertical as well as the horizontal joints will be maintained at all times hermetically sealed and all tendency to open or move outwardly will be obviated.

The invention has for a still further object, improved means in a device of this character, for preventing any lateral or sidewise movement of the top or bottom relative to the ends and sides, the utility of this feature of the invention being specified more clearly in the description of the details of construction and relative arrangement of parts.

The invention also aims to generally improve devices of this class and to render them more useful and commercially desirable.

With these and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim,

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the followng description and accompanying drawing 1n which Figure l is a perspective view of a sarcophagus constructed in accordance with this invention, one corner being broken out 1n order to better illustrate the joints. Fig.

is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the device. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view, the section being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a transverse fragmentary section on an en larged scale.-

Oorresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the accompanying drawing by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the bottom of my improved sarcophagus, 2 the sides thereof, 3 the ends and 4 the top, the parts being formed of marble or other relatively indestructible stone or other substance or material and producing a rectangular structure when assembled, although it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in this regard. The vertical joints between the sides 2 and ends 8 are rabbeted as best illustrated in Fig. 4, as at 5, and also indicated in Fig. 1, the rabbet being of rectangular formation in the present instance, although it may be understood that the invention is not limited in this regard also, but that these joints may be mitered or of other formation.

The upper and lower edges of the sides 2 and ends 3 are, in the present embodiment of the invention, of beveled shape, the upper edges of the sides and ends being outwardly and downwardly beveled and the lower edges of said sides and ends being oppositely or outwardly and upwardly beveled. The upper beveled edges are designated 6 and the lower beveled edges 7. In the present instance these edges are shown as plane or straight, although I do not deem this absolutely essential, as other forms may be devised and still be within the purview of this invention. The lower faces of the top 4: and theupper face of the bottom 1 are formed with oppositely beveled marginal edges indicated at 8 and 9 respectively, the bevel of said edges corresponding in inclination to the beveled edges 6 and 7 of the sides and ends and accurately fitting thereon except, as it is most important to note, the inward depth of the beveled faces 8 and 9 are greater than the width of the beveled edges and 7 of the sides 2 and ends 3. In other words, it is to be noted that the contacting beveled faces 8 and 9 continue inwardly, at least an appreciable distance on the adjoining inner faces of the sides 2 and ends 3 at the upper and lower edges thereof, in the proper assembled relation of the parts. Consequently, owing to this, there will exist, in the assembled relation of the parts, entirely around the interior of the sarcophagus at the top and bottom thereof, channels or spaces 10, whereby the pressure of the top at and the earth above it, if there be such, will tend at all times to maintain constantly a relatively great inward pressure upon the sides and ends, so that the vertical joints will be securely held together and all tendency to outward spreading avoided. Thus, there is no possibility of the cement working out of the vertical joints, and even if there is within said vertical joints. an amount of cement, which would be insufficient with other structures of this type, yet, owing to the constant pressure toward the center which is maintained by my construction of parts, the vertical joints will be positively held at all times secure. It is to be further noted, as best indicated in Fig. 5 that these spaces or channels 10 subserve the additional function of an overflow space for the cement between the top, sides and ends and between the bottom, sides and ends, whereby the horizontal joints will be practically self-healing or closing, all surplus cement flowing inwardly into the channels.

In order to assist in the assembling of the parts to prevent any horizontal movement of the top and bottom relative to the interposed parts, I provide a plurality of spherical keys 11 which are preferably formed of marble or some indestructible substance, said keys being interposed between the lower and upper faces of the top and bottom respectively and the adjoining beveled edges of the sides and ends. These spherical keys are seated in sockets formed in one member and are accommodated in transversely elongated grooves formed in the adjoining member. In the present embodiment of the invention, the sockets designated 12 are formed in the beveled upper and lower edges of the sides and ends, and the transversely extending grooves designated 12 are formed in the top and bottom as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and '3. There are in the present instance 8 of these keys employed, namely, two midway of each of the sides and two midway of each of the ends. It is to be understood however, that any desired number may be used and at any desired or preferred locations.

From the foregoing description in con nection with the accompanying drawing, the operation of my improved sarcophagus will be apparent. After the parts have been assembled and the joints all cemented it is clear that, owing to the inclination of the edges and the greater width of the bevels of the top and bottom relative to the bevels of the sides and ends and the consequent spaces or channels 10, the joints will be maintained constantly under pressure which is from each oint inwardly toward the center of the sarcophagus; hence, not only will this effectually maintain the jointsin hermetically sealed and therefore sanitary condition, but the device will be practically indestructible and everlasting without any tendency whatever to open at any joint.

\Vhile the accompanying drawing illustrates what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be noted that the invention is not limited thereto, but that various changes may be made in the construction, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the ap pended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is z 1. A device of the character described including a bottom formed on its upper edge with an outwardly and upwardly inclined recess, a top formed on its lower edge with a downwardly and outwardly inclined recess, and interposed sides and ends having vertical and outwardly separable joints with each other and engaging the said top and bottom in the recesses thereof, the upper and lower edges of the sides and ends conforming in inclination to the recessed edges of the top and bottom, said inclined recesses of the top and bottom extending inwardly beyond the inner faces of the sides and ends, and a.

plastic joint sealing substance interposed between the upper and lower edges of the sides and ends and the recessed edges of the top and bottom and constituting the securmg means between the sides and ends on the one hand and the top and bottom on the other hand.

2. A device of the character described, including a bottom, a top and interposed sides and ends formed with vertical joints, the sides and ends forming horizontal joints with the top and bottom and the construction of such joints serving to compress the sides and ends inwardly toward the center, the adjoining surfaces between the upper and lower edges of the sides and ends and the overlying top and underlying bottom being formed one with sockets andthe other with slots registering with said sockets, the slots extending transversely of the sides and ends, respectively, and keys mounted insaid sockets and accommodated by said slots.

3. A device of the character described, including a bottom, a top and interposed sides and ends formed with vertical joints, the sides and ends forming horizontal joints with the top and bottom and the construction of such joints serving to compress the sides and ends inwardly toward the center,

the adjoining surfaces between the upper and lower edges ofthe sides and ends and the overlying top and underlying bottom being formed one with sockets and the other with slots registering with said sockets, the slots extending transversely of the sides and ends, respectively, and spherical keys n1ounted in said sockets and accommodated by said slots.

4. A device of the character described, including a bottom, a top and interposed sides and ends formed with vertical joints, said joints being separable in an outward direction, the sides and ends forming horizontal joints with the top and bottom and the construction of such joints serving to compress the sides and ends inwardly toward the center, the adjoining surfaces between the upper and lower edges of the sides and ends and the overlying top and underlying bottom being formed one with sockets and the other with slots registering with said sockets, the slots extending transversely of the sides and ends respectively, spherical keys mounted in said sockets and accommodated by said slots, and a plastic joint sealing substance interposed between the upper and lower edges of the sides and ends and the top and bottom, respectively.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES L. VAN NOSTRAND.

Witnesses:

A. S. HAZELTON, E. L. STERNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

